Project Description: Monmouth University's 2015 archaeological field school will be held at one of the Northeast's preeminent archaeological sites, Turkey Swamp, in Freehold, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Previous excavations at the site unearthed artifacts covering the entire span of prehistoric occupation in the eastern United States from the Paleo-Indian through the Contact Period. Our work will focus on re-identifying the site of earlier excavations and exploring several new sites within the park. Students will learn archaeological field and lab methods and be introduced to current debates on regional prehistory through lectures and activities.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

All ASNJ members are invited to attend. Due to insurance reasons, members must have an active ASNJ membership (meaning that you have renewed or recently joined us). If you are not a member of ASNJ or you have allowed your membership to expire, you can not dig. Interested members are asked to meet the MU fieldschool staff and students on Saturday morning at 9AM at the soccer field parking lot. Directions to the parking lot can be found here. Please bring plenty of water, sunscreen, bug/tick repellent and pack a lunch. Volunteers and students will travel from the parking lot to the site on foot through a densely wooded area with thick vegetation, please dress appropriately. Long pants, high socks, work gloves, hats and boots are best. Please be aware that there may be poison ivy on site. If you are allergic to bees, please prepare yourself accordingly.

Monday, June 1, 2015

This month’s artifact is from a local museum display, located at Historic Walnford in Crosswicks, New Jersey. The Monmouth County Parks website has this to say about Walnford:

“Picturesque after a snowfall, full of fascinating history throughout the year, any day is a great time to visit this wonderful historic site and learn more about the Waln family and the evolution of Walnford over two centuries - from an 18th century industrial village and family farm to an elegant country estate. At the heart of theCrosswicks Creek Park(1436 acres), the site showcases over 200 years of social, technological and environmental history through the Waln family.”

In the nineteenth-century a German officer was traveling through the area with two other officers. They approached a creek on the property and decided to wade through to the other side. One of the officers became separated from his horse during the crossing after his horse suddenly sank into a hole in the creek. The two eventually made their way back to shore, it was then that the officer noticed he had lost a spur during the ordeal. The boy who witnessed this event eventually grew into an old man and would later discover a spur during a construction project along the same creek. This spur is on display at the Walnford museum along with corresponding letters which describe these first-hand accounts.

Special thanks to Dr. Rich Veit for this Artifact of the Month submission.

Do you have an artifact or object you'd like to submit to ASNJs "Artifact of the Month" website posting? If so, please send a photograph, a brief description and a photo credit to thilliard@rgaincorporated.com, subject heading: ASNJ Artifact.